Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-03
NAMES BIGGEST SCHOONER.
Launching Mammoth Vessel-The
Second Largest of Her Glass.

Il :
Launching a Mammoth Vessel-The
Second Largest of Her Glass.
BANGOR, March 29.-A few years ago,
when tue first three-masted sohooners Of
from 800 TO 500 tons were built in Maine,
the old-time masters and builders, used
to fore-and-afters OF only 200 or 800 tons,
shook their heads disparagingIy and de-
oiared that people we're 2oing crazy, aud
when theee vessels were followed later ny
four. N aSters of 900 tons aud upward,
they ridiouled both vessel and builder
Now, when four-masIed schooner OF
nearly 1900 tons has been launched, the
ancient mariners are lost IN amazenent,
and are asking each other where this sort
of thing VIII end, and what will be the
limit Of size.
There was launched at Bath few DAYS
ago the largest schooner-rigged sailing
vessel but one at1oRt. she Is the +. A
Lambert, 22I feet tonnage length, 40 feet
beaDl, 22.l feet hold and 1,5SS. "a net tons.
She has tremendously heavy frame and
is fastened as heavy as whaer. Her
lower masts are each liz feet long, and
her spars in proportion, so that one may
readily imagine the amount of sail sne
can spread. She is estimated to have a
with any decent sort OF business and dis
patch her freight money for a season In
the coal, ice and hard pine trade must
figure up some thing handsome.
Here Is schooner larger than the ma
jority OF ships and barks, and with greater
pr0p0ruonate carrying capacity than the
square riggers, which, on account OF her
simple rig, requires but half the crew of
the latter, and much less expenditure for
MI II ,sS1r To-.
ing or West India business is dull, can
20 into deep water trades, as did the
four-master HarOldine, built at North
Weymouth, Mass, a few years ago. The
crew of such a vessel are relieved OF the
heavier drudgery by q steam engine
placed forward, and their fOrecastle is
generally parlor compared with those
of small craft.
The eXlgencies of the times have called
the monster schOoners into existence, and
they have come to stay. They are cheap
ly built, economically sailed, great car
riers, and fast saiiers. so their popularity
is not to be wondered at. Quite num-
Der OF schooners ranging from 900 tons
upward are now being constructed in
Maine yards, and preparations are being
made for the building, at Camden, OF
four-master of twelve to thirteen hundred
tons. modelled something after the King
Philip, launched at that place last fall.
Freights may be low and business dull,
but Maine is a State OF sailors aud build
ers, and If they can't get living in ordi-
nary sized craft they are bound to do it
in big fellows, which can carry as much
aC one trip as a whole "mosquitO fleet"
AS to the limit or size, as ships have
Increased from 300 tons in the early DAYS
to 5000 tons to-day without exciting any
great wonder, nobody need be surprised
TO see the old coasLing schooner OF 200
tons succeeded in the near future by q
tive-master of 1000 tons.
Some newspapers have reported the 7.
A. Lambert to be the largest schooner
aflOat. This is a mistake. The largest
vessel of this class Is the fye-master
Golden Age, 1,763 tons, built at Brides
Bridge, Ono, some years ago. The Lam
bert ranks next.